Daily Number

39%

January 14, 2015

Gov. Chris Christie’s popularity in New Jersey continues to slide among the people who know him best as it is all but clear that he plans to launch a presidential campaign in the near future. The most recent poll by FDU Public Mind showed that only 39 percent of New Jerseyans approve of the job he is doing as governor, a major drop from the nearly 80 percent approval rating he had two years ago at this time, shortly after Sandy.

In fact, the polling group put out a statement on Tuesday that said his “approval rating remains low, he’s lost the approval of female voters, and New Jerseyans feel he is focused on becoming president and shirking his gubernatorial duties.”

The poll showed that New Jerseyans believe the state is headed in the wrong direction by an even wider margin (49 percent). Women, in particular, have soured on the governor, with only 34 percent approving of the job he is doing. His ratings with millenials are also poor; 49 percent of those 18-34 years old disapprove of his performance, with only 36 percent approving.

A majority (53 percent) of respondents thinks he is more concerned with running for president than being governor. Indeed, 41 percent of all respondents said they think that some of his decisions are influenced by his desire to be president. Even 48 percent of Republicans said that happens some of the time, with 42 percent of Democrats saying that it happens most of the time.